Sweet Sacrifice
by fishylishy
Summary: -Pre-TP, oneshot- They were coming, and we were out of time. It was time for a new legacy to start, for new blood to be spilled, and for sacrifices to be made...in the time of Hyrule's darkest hour, the Twilight.


**There really isn't too much to say here. I'm working on this oneshot and something called "Last Child, Lost Man". In the mood for oneshots, for one reason or another. With all that said, enjoy...**

**Rated T for slight violence, language.**

**Pre-Twilight Princess. Zelda's perspective. One shot. :)**

**P.S. The only character I own is Galer. The rest belongs to Nintendo's game, Twilight Princess. :)**

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They were coming.

And, of course, we were out of time. There was no clock left ticking-only frantic breaths that measured the seconds that slugged by.

We had no shot at warning the other lands in my kingdom-let alone neighboring kingdoms. Destruction would come to them if we did not stop destruction. I was miffed at myself for realizing that I had known that simple fact all along-I did not go to destruction, and now destruction was coming to us.

"My lady, are you sure you must fight with us?" I knew all the guards by name-it was Galer speaking. He had a family-a wife, children. Would they miss him if he fell? Were they dead already?

Images of the town flooded my mind-perhaps by my imagination, or perhaps by my Triforce of Wisdom's divine knowledge. An army of blackness coming, and a man with a mask on in the lead of them. He was unnaturally tall and his clothing was far too foreign. I had been right, then-they were from the Twilight Realm.

The man in my vision lifted his hand as his shadow army attacked the townspeople who hadn't listened to warnings-merchants that persisted in doing business. The beasts dropped their Hylian prey when the leading man raised his hand.

The light of daylight seemed to be sucked out of the town, floating towards the sky. Colors of shadow and sunset bled through the air, black rain falling. Suddenly, the townspeople were merely spirits floating in Twilight-I could not see anything else.

"My lady?"

Galer reminded me of his question, bringing me out of my vision. Fear flooded me and I stiffened. "Yes, I am sure. I will not hide away from my bidding."

"Zelda," He didn't address me by my status, but as a person. I looked at him-he was clad in generic armor, like the rest of our guards. "This is not your doing."

"I could have stopped it, and now I shall end it." My tone was grave. I heard a commotion of footsteps, and then screams from outside the throne room doors. I flinched, knowing what it meant. Our outside guard had been wiped out, then.

The large sum of soldiers and guards inside the throne room stiffened. I gripped my sword tighter and Galer muttered, "As you wish."

The doors slowly creaked open, and I drew in a shocked breath. Yes, my vision was correct. An army of animalistic Shadow beasts, and a man in front of them. He had a water-animal like appearance to him-like a fish, almost. I knew better than to doubt his power, though.

They came forward in a tinted black mist, and their advance did not slow. They walked across the divine and grandly decorated throne room, towards the steps that my guards stood on. Across the red carpet that was laid to the throne...not stopping...

"Attack and defend," I commanded in a brittle whisper.

Galer heard me. "All men to the front!"

My army ran out in front of me, and our beastly enemies charged at them. I grit my teeth, but held my ground. I knew it would not benefit us if I ran out and died in the first round of attacks. Swords raised, my men jumped atop the beasts. Inhuman war cries filled the room and I bit my lip till I tasted salty blood.

The shadow beasts were obviously very well trained in military tactics. As soon as the men jumped at them with their swords, they swiped them up into the air by their feet. Horror filled me as my men, suspended in air by unwordly beasts, dropped their swords. Yells and swears filled the room, and then screams of agony as the beasts flung my men to the ground-over and over again, beating them like rag dolls.

One shadow beast, in the front of the line, raised the man so I could see his face. Taunting me. "Galer!" I screamed, loosing my cool. Galer's body was drenched in blood and I could see his wild eyes-he was so close to death. My Triforce pulsed underneath my gloves, wishing to deliver his spirit. Anguish filled me and a scream passed my lips as the shadow beast threw him to the ground and started to devour him.

That was the scene of the entire room. My army, becoming a feast. I gagged and tears pressed at my eyes, but I merely took a step back. I noticed two guards had retreated, all the way in front of me-damaged and injured, but still alive. Defending me till their deaths. A bitter laugh escaped my lips as the man in the strange mask-their leader, of course-stepped forward.

His voice was raspy, yet threatening. "It time for you to choose: surrender, or die!"

I remained silent and frozen. The two remaining guards shuddered and hissed, but I did not speak. No, I wouldn't speak unless I had to.

Angered by the delay of my words, the leader spoke again. "Oh, yes! A question for all the land and people of Hyrule!" His voice was so mocking, so bitter.

The shadow beasts screeched and I heard the gurgles of the prey they were still devouring. It was a mocking thing-they were devoured alive, dying from blood loss, in a royal throne room. Their princess watching watching, as well as the statue above my throne that contained the statues of the Goddesses and the Triforce.

"Life?" The man bellowed. "Or death?"

He held his hand forward, preparing to let the shadow beasts charge us. The two guards turned to me, begging me for an answer.

I did not speak, still. No. My silence was the loudest protest I could have ever managed-the thing that would affect him the most. This was not the time for words. A small sigh escaped my lips, sorrow starting to fill me. I dropped my sword.

The man in the front grinned. "I am King!" He yelled, his voice echoing. I tried to block it out. "King Zant! KING!"

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Locked away in the highest tower of the castle, like a Princess from childish fairytales, I prayed. I wore a black cloak of mourning-the man who called himself Zant had cursed it with magic that would allow me to remain human in the blanket of Twilight he had thrown out across the land.

_His_ land, I supposed. And now Hyrule was a vast place of dark Twilight, where monsters lurked and he reigned. I did not know his intentions, nor did I care. The Goddesses would give me a sign when it was time to lend my knowledge. This was a new timeline-a Hero would arise to save the land.

And I could do was pray that the Hero wouldn't die.

I sat at my window sill, bleakly unmoving and unthinking. I repeated sorrowful prayers in my head, hoping the Goddesses could hear them.

Weeks, days, eternities later...

She came.

I heard the faint blither of shadow magic approaching, and I did not turn. I thought it to be one of the guards. Whatever it was seemed to be waiting for me to turn around, and it giggled. It was a _she_, no doubt.

I turned quickly. A small imp with cyan, blue, and turquoise skin greeted me. Her amber eyes were shocking focused on me, and she bared a fang-filled smile. Her lavish red hair was piled atop her head, which was crowned with some sort of broken-down crown or helmet. A creature of Twilight, yes-but this couldn't have been her true form. The Twili never looked like that...

_She was cursed? _I thought.

The girl imp giggled again. "Princess Zelda," She began, rather mockingly. "You are one hard woman to find!"

And so, it began.

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**Finished.**

**I'm not sure if this has been done before, but nevertheless, I hope you all enjoyed it. I thought the ending wrapped it up nicely, but perhaps it was too brief?**

**Reviews, critiques...all very welcomed. :)**


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